N8.5bn Fraud: How Army General Diverted N4.1bn NIMASA Funds - Witness

A prosecution witness, Arinze Ahijo Nkem, an Abuja-based businessman, on Monday, June 19, 2017, told Justice A.O. Faji of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how a former Commander of the Military Joint Task Force, JTF, Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (retd.) fraudulently diverted about N4.1bn received from the coffers of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

Atewe is charged alongside a former NIMASA boss, Patrick Akpobolokemi, and two other staff of the agency - Kime Engonzu and Josephine Otuaga - on an amended 22-count to the tune of over N8.5 billion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Nkem told the court that Atewe, in his capacity as Commander, transferred various sums of money from the JTF, Operation Pulo Shield account in Bayelsa State to him with a stern instruction forbidding him from touching it without his( Atewe) directive.

Given further testimony, Nkem told the court that he usually converted into dollar any money transferred to him by Atewe, before taking it to the third accused, Engonzu.

He said: “I bought a guest house for JTF, Operation Pulo Shied for N170m upon instruction by Atewe. I once paid the sum of N297m to a company called CISCO Nobot Limited. I also paid N99m to Ocean Gaz Limited and another N88m to Lord Fem Nigeria Limited, which all belong to him( Atewe).”

Under cross-examination by the defense counsel, Nkem admitted that the name of the first accused, Akpobolokemi, was not mentioned in the documents and no money was transferred to him.
Thereafter, counsel to Atewe, P.I. Nwankwo, asked for an adjournment on the grounds he would be appearing before the Court of Appeal tomorrow.

However, Oyedepo opposed the application for adjournment saying he wanted to present another witness who came from Abuja.

But Justice Faji adjourned the matter to June 27, 28 and 29, 2017 for continuation of trial.

U.S. student who was returned from North Korea in coma has died

U.S. student Otto Warmbier, who was imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months before being returned home in a coma less than a week ago, has died in a Cincinnati hospital, his family said in a statement on Monday.

"Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today," the family said in a statement following Warmbier's death at 2:20 p.m. EDT (1820 GMT) at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

His family has said that Warmbier, 22, had lapsed into a coma in March 2016, shortly after he was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea.

He was arrested, according to North Korean media, for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan.

North Korea released Warmbier last week, saying he was being freed "on humanitarian grounds."

The University of Virginia student's father, Fred Warmbier, said last week that his son had been "brutalized and terrorized by the Pyongyang government and that the family disbelieved North Korea's story that his son had fallen into a coma after contracting botulism and being given a sleeping pill.

Doctors who examined Otto Warmbier after his release said there was no sign of botulism in his system.

Warmbier was freed after the U.S. State Department's special envoy on North Korea, Joseph Yun, traveled to Pyongyang and demanded the student's release on humanitarian grounds, capping a flurry of secret diplomatic contacts, a U.S. official said last week.

Tensions between the United States and North Korea have been heightened by dozens of North Korean missile launches and two nuclear bomb tests since the beginning of last year. Pyongyang has also vowed to develop a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.

Susan Thornton, the U.S. acting assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said earlier on Monday that the United States was concerned for the welfare of the three other U.S. citizens still held in North Korea - Korean-Americans Tony Kim, Kim Dong Chul and Kim Hak Song. 
 - Reuters

N9.79bn fraud: Court sends ex-Benue governor, Suswam to Kuje prison

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered a former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, and two of his former aides, to be remanded in Kuje Prisons, Abuja.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole gave the verdict after the three defendants were arraigned on 32 counts of alleged diversion of a total sum of N9.79bn meant for Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

Although the judge granted each of the three defendants bail in the sum of N250m, among other conditions, he ordered that they be remanded in prison pending when the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, of the Federal High Court, Abuja would inform the court that the bail conditions had been met.

The prosecution alleged in the 32 counts preferred against the three defendants that the total sum of N9,791,602,453.8 was meant for the SURE-P scheme and a small fraction of it for police reform.

The money was allegedly diverted by the defendants between 2012 and 2015 while Suswam was the governor of the state.

Suswam and his his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to all the 32 counts when read to them before Justice Kolawole. - Daily Post

NDLEA intercept 868kg of Tramadol, re-arrests notorious dealer ‘Zuma’

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two men carrying 31 cartons (over 17 50kg bags) of Tramadol.

They were nabbed while conveying the drugs in a J5 with number QAP 316 XB at Kwande Villlage of Shendam Local Government, Plateau state.

One of the suspects, Mas’udu Isyaka, said the drugs were being conveyed from Onitsha.
He said he and his colleague were to go to Gombe but operatives nabbed them in Plataeu.
“I thought it was drugs that we used to deliver across the country. I don’t know such drugs were against the law,” he said.

Plateau State NDLEA commander, Ibrahim Braji, who paraded them, also handed over counterfeit and expired drugs of about 5, 580kg seized from a suspect named Jude Okoye Okeke, aka Zuma to National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

He said, “Today we are handing over of the expired drugs seized from Zuma to NAFDAC who are responsible for prosecution of those that had to do with licit drugs, because the licit drugs are outside the jurisdiction of NDLEA.

“NDLEA is only responsible for illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana and psychotropic substances.”

NDLEA, last week, arrested Zuma for the fourth time.

The suspect had been arrested three times before but was either fined or released on bail.

 Zuma was granted bail on health grounds after his third arrest last year.

Arewa youth write Osinbajo: Allow Igbo have their Biafra

The coalition of Arewa youth which gave the Igbo a three-month ultimatum to leave the north has asked Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to allow those agitating for secession to “have their Biafra”. for peace to reign in the country.

In an open letter, the group said they appreciated Osinbajo’s efforts to “finding a lasting solution to the lingering Igbo-induced crisis that is undoubtedly overheating the polity”.

The group said the Igbo had manifested their “hatred for Nigeria’s unity” five years after the country gained independence.
They said activities of the Igbo under Nnamdi Kanu and the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) had grown exponentially.

The letter was signed by Shettima Yerima, Joshua Viashman, Aminu Adam, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman and Nastura Ashir Sharif, leaders of the coalition.
“Your Excellency, we want to reiterate our high respect for your office and acknowledge the efforts you are making to lower tensions. We assure you, as well-brought up northerners, we listen to the advice and cautions of our elders, and in particular, their concerns that we do not create the impression that any Igbo or any Nigerian will be harmed in the north,” the letter read.

“We assure you that we will defend the rights of every Nigerian to live in peace and have their rights protected.
“While we do not see this clamour for Biafra as an issue over which a single drop of blood should be shed, we at the same time, insist that the Igbo be allowed to have their Biafra and for them to vacate our land peacefully so that our dear country Nigeria could finally enjoy lasting peace and stability.

“We begin this letter by commending your efforts towards finding a lasting solution to the lingering Igbo-induced crisis that is undoubtedly overheating the polity.
“We sincerely believe Your Excellency’s good intentions as shown by your prompt and genuine actions towards ensuring peace and stability in holding talks with leaders of the north and the south-east.

“Though we do not doubt Your Excellency’s bona fide concerns for the peaceful resolution of the crises, we nevertheless have reservations as to the efficacy of this approach in ensuring lasting solutions.

“Our doubts are informed by the following historical antecedents that have characterised the behaviour and conduct of the Igbo in Nigeria and previous efforts at containing them.”
They alleged that none of the Igbo leaders has disowned IPOB or condemned its operations until Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, reacted in a “mild condemnation after the Kaduna declaration by our coalition”.

“The seed of hate planted in the name of Biafra is evidently so deep that the ongoing interaction between you and the leaders from the south-east cannot in our well-informed opinion douse or address the underlying deep-seated underlying problems,” the letter read.

“To make a bad situation even worse, their leaders have continued to show support for this treacherous cause and thus giving credence to our concern that what they say about us is what they truly mean and intend – ‘Kill everyone in the Zoo’ (north). Your Excellency, we cannot afford to discard this as mere mischief as the utterances that caused the terrible Rwandan genocide still resonates in our minds.

“Lastly sir, it is quite impossible to expect that other nationalities would simply stand by and watch while a certain ethnic group perpetrates all the above heinous misconduct that involve threats, call to violence and extermination, insults and songs of war without responding.” - Cable Nigeria

After North Korea JFK Mugging, Kim Jong Un Regime Calls U.S. 'Lawless, Gangster State'

North Korea said the United States would face “grave consequences” after three of its diplomats were reportedly mugged at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Sunday. 

KCNA, North Korea’s state news agency, accused the United States of being “gangsters” and said U.S. officials removed a package from the diplomats, said to contain a diplomatic certificate. 

An article in the state-run news site said: “The U.S. literally mugged a delegation of DPRK diplomats at the airport” and they “behaved like a lawless, gangster state.” DPRK is short for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The news agency also said the mugging was “an illegal and heinous act of provocation.” North Korea promised retaliation, warning that there would be “grave consequences” for the U.S. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said officials had confronted three North Koreans at the airport, but said the suspects were not associated with the United Nations. The North Koreans were not allowed to board their plane.

"According to the U.S. State Department, the North Korean citizens were not accredited members of North Korea's Mission to the UN and had no entitlement to diplomatic immunity. The package in question had no diplomatic protection from inspection," a Homeland Security statement said. "DHS seized multiple media items and packages from the individuals, at which time the North Koreans attempted to physically retrieve the items but were prevented from doing so by DHS officers. The reported aggression was initiated by the North Koreans.”

North Korean news said more than 20 police officials were involved in the airport mugging. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK regards this mugging by the U.S. as an intolerable act of infringement upon the sovereignty of the DPRK and a malicious provocation, and strongly condemns it,” a statement released by North Korea said, reported Bloomberg. 

Tension between the two countries has grown in recent weeks, as missile testing from North Korea has increased, while the United States has fought to have several of its citizens being held by the North Korean state released. Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old student, was released last week back to the United States, but was found to be in a coma.

Tomas Ojea Quintana, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for human rights in North Korea, also criticized North Korea’s treatment of Warmbier, and in a statement last week demanded that Pyongyang "clarify the causes and circumstances of the release." - Newsweek

Warren to Trump: 'Donald, you ain't seen nasty yet'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has a warning for President Trump: "Donald, you ain't seen nasty yet."

Warren read aloud from her new book "This Fight is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class" and took questions at a town hall event in New York Friday, HuffPost reported.

Warren blasted Trump for his economic policies, saying they are hurting the middle-class Americans who voted for him.
"What Donald Trump and the Republican majority in the House and the Senate want to do to us, is they want to deliver the knockout blow to the middle class," she said.

She also hit him on women's rights, saying that "women's right are not up from grabs" during the reading.
"The character of a nation is not the character of its president," Warren said. "The character of a nation is the character of its people."

Real Madrid star Luka Modric under investigation for perjury and could face up to five years in prison

Real Madrid star Luka Modric is under investigation for suspected perjury for evidence given in the trial of Zdravko Mamic, the Croatia State Attorney Office has revealed.

Modric is, according to the Croatian penal system, faces a prison sentence ranging anywhere from six months to five years if he is found guilty.
The former Tottenham man is one of the key witnesses in the trial of Mamic, a former chief executive at Dinamo Zagreb, where Modric played before joining Tottenham in 2008.

Among other things including embezzlement and tax fraud, Mamic is charged with illegally keeping a big chunk of the transfer fee from Spurs for himself rather than for Dinamo. The investigation showed he did keep it and the defence is not even trying to deny that, but they claim there was nothing unlawful about it.

The disputed part is the contract between Dinamo and Modric which contained an annex specifying the fee was to be shared on the 50-50 basis between the club and the player.

Mamic became Dinamo chief executive and negotiated the deal himself and what the prosecution is trying to demonstrate is that the annex was only signed and backdated after the player had already been sold.
Modric initially confirmed this was the case, but later changed the details of his initial statement and claimed he got confused.

“When speaking about that, I was talking about a personal contract between Mamic and me, which regulated the split of the transfer fee,” he said.
And now the State Attorney’s Office (DORH) has opened up an investigation into Modric’s conduct after a suspicion of purgury.

In a statement, the DORH said: “State Attorney's Office in Osijek opened the investigation against Croatian citizen (1985) due to the existence of reasonable doubt that when giving testimony before the County Court in Osijek committed a crime against justice by giving false testimony under Article 305, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code / 11. (6th 19th 2017).

“There is a reasonable doubt that on 13 June 2017 at the Osijek County Court, during a hearing in a criminal case against the first accused Croatian citizen (1970) and others, for the criminal offence of abuse of position and authority in Article 291, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the CC / 11; although he was warned that a witness is obliged to tell the truth and that is giving a false statement offence; examined as a witness falsely testified that the annex to the agreement.” - The Independent 

Mayweather vs McGregor fight is 'ridiculous', says Lennox Lewis: 'I can't take it seriously'

Lennox Lewis says he cannot take the Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor fight seriously - and believes there is only one outcome: a Mayweather win.

The pair ended long-term speculation by confirming last week that they will fight in Las Vegas on August 26. 

Ricky Hatton said yesterday that he cannot get excited by the bout,while Lewis has also revealed his scepticism claiming he will not watch it on pay-per-view.

"I can't take it serious,' Lewis told the Daily Star.

"Mayweather is the best in his weight class, no one can touch him in boxing.

"He's a pugilist of the highest order, so for another man from a different sport to fight him? It's just ridiculous to me.

"You are talking about one discipline where you can use only your hands and only a few can do it. Every battle sport starts with your hands but they are two totally different sports.

"Floyd will stop him. He's just too good at boxing for McGregor and McGregor is too inexperienced at boxing. He can't use his other styles."

Hatton echoed Lewis's thoughts.

"I can't say I'm a fan of it," he told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme.

"I'm a fan of UFC, a fan of McGregor - he's got character, he's exciting, entertaining, value for money.

"I hope I don't upset any Irish fans or Conor, but I can't get excited about this fight one bit.

"It's going to be great entertainment - that's the most complimentary I can be about it. It's two different sports." - The Telegraph 

Oscar sparks mass brawl in Chinese league

Brazilian international Oscar triggered a mass brawl in the Chinese Super League as players and staff from his Shanghai SIPG side and opponents Guangzhou R&F scrapped on the pitch.

After the former Chelsea midfielder appeared to fire the ball deliberately twice at Guangzhou players, he was rushed by several opponents, fell to the ground and a melee broke out.



One player from each side was sent off as the opening of the CSL transfer window was marked in rambunctious style.

The fight erupted just before half-time in Sunday's CSL clash at Guangzhou R&F, where Andre Villas-Boas's SIPG were attempting to keep up the pressure on league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.

Oscar, who cost SIPG a whopping 60 million euros ($67 million) in the last transfer window to become the biggest transfer in Asian football history, sparked the confrontation when he deliberately lashed the ball twice at R&F players.
The home side's Chen Zhizhao retaliated, pushing the 25-year-old Brazilian to the floor, then players, coaching staff and substitutes poured off the benches and waded in as Oscar lay face down on the pitch.

When order was restored after pushing and shoving, R&F's Li Tixiang and Shanghai's Fu Huan were dismissed and three others were booked.
Oscar was unhurt and the fiery encounter finished 1-1 to leave SIPG four points behind reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande

Portuguese manager Villas-Boas defended Oscar, saying that he was "just being passionate".
Another Brazilian international, the forward Hulk, equalised for Shanghai after being set up by Oscar just before the fisticuffs.

R&F players were incensed that the goal was allowed to stand as Oscar appeared to have been offside before his assist.
Villas-Boas told Shanghai's official social media: "Our goal should be offside and it was unlucky for Guangzhou."

R&F apologised after the home side racked up five yellow cards in addition to the one red.
"We are sorry about the infringements during the game and hope the players can adjust their attitude and prepare for the following game," R&F said in a statement.

But that apology might not be enough for the CSL and image-conscious Chinese Football Association (CFA).
Shanghai Shenhua's Qin Sheng was hit with a six-month ban earlier this year for stomping on Belgian international Axel Witsel of Tianjin Quanjian.

Then last month Zhang Jian, senior vice-president and general secretary of the CFA, called for "good order" between the league's foreign stars and domestic players after allegations of racism and a number of on-field flare-ups. - 

2 immigrant farmworkers arrested after Ben & Jerry's march

Protesters are showing support for two immigrant dairy farmers arrested after marching to a Ben & Jerry's factory to call for better pay and living conditions on farms that provide milk to the ice cream maker.

The Vermont Department of Corrections said Monday that 19-year-old Yesenia Hernandez-Ramos and 26-year-old Esau Peche-Ventura, both from Mexico, are being held on immigration charges. They were arrested Saturday night while returning to the farm where they live and work in Franklin County.

A U.S. Border Patrol spokesman tells Vermont Public Radio (http://bit.ly/2siOt4h) they were stopped in a routine patrol check a few miles away from the U.S.-Canada border.

Protesters were outside a correctional facility and a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

Nabra Hassanen: 17-year-old Muslim girl abducted and killed on way home from Virginia mosque

A 17-year-old Muslim girl was assaulted, abducted and killed as she was travelling home in Virginia on Sunday, after attending her local mosque.

The girl, named locally as Nabra Hassanen of Reston, had been attending the All Dulles Area Muslim Society mosque in observance of the last 10 days of Ramadan when the attack happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Nabra was walking home from with several friends when they were confronted by a motorist. At one point the man got out of his car and assaulted the girl, according to police.

The teenagers scattered during the attack but were unable to find Nabra afterwards. She was reported missing to police, sparking an hours-long search by authorities in Fairfax and Loudon counties.
A body was found in a pond in the Sterling area at around 3pm. An autopsy is yet to be conducted by a medical examiner, but police believe the remains are of the missing teenager.

A 22-year-old man named Darwin Martinez Torres was stopped during the police search for “driving suspiciously in the area” and charged with murder, Fairfax County Police Department said.

Police have not ruled out hate as a motivation for the attack.
Detectives told Nabra’s mother that the teenager was struck with a metal bat, the Washington Post reported.

“I can’t think of a worse instance to occur than the loss of a 17-year-old on Father’s Day, as the father of a 17-year-old myself,” Michael Chapman, Sheriff of Loudoun County said.
Arsalan Iftikhar, a human rights lawyer, told the newspaper the attack had sent fear through the Muslim community in northern Virginia: “People are petrified, especially people who have young Muslim daughters.”

A crowd-funding campaign to support the family of Nabra has already raised more than $115,700 (£90,300).
The number of anti-Muslim bias incidents in the United States jumped 57 per cent in 2016 to 2,213, up from 1,409 in 2015, the Council on American-Islamic Relations advocacy group said in a report last month.

While the group had been seeing a rise in anti-Muslim incidents prior to Donald Trump's stunning rise in last year's presidential primaries and November election victory, it said the acceleration in bias incidents was due in part to Mr Trump's focus on militant Islamist groups and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Rape Victim Slashes Attackers Manhood With Razor

A rape victim in Katsina state has slashed the manhood of her attacker with a razor blade while attempting to free herself from his grips.

The attacker, Bishir Yau, 30 years of Yargase village in Kankara local government area of the state has also been arraigned before a Katsina senior magistrate court on a rape charge, contrary to section 283 of Penal Code law.

Police told the court on Monday during Bishir’s arraignment that sometime last month, he allegedly lured the victim( Abasiya Tukur),14 years who is residing in the same house with him, into a nearby uncompleted building, and “forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.”

The police, through the First Information Report with number; KT/741X/17 , read in court for Bishir’s hearing, added: “On struggling to get herself from him, She (the victim) brought out a razor blade and cut his penis.”

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Kabir Mohammed told the court “It is a case of rape for mention,’’ before pleading that the case be adjourned to another date for mention, revealing that investigation was still in progress on the case.

Hajiya Fadile Dikko of the magistrate court adjourned the case to 19, July 2017, for mention, directing that Bishir be remanded in police custody till then. 

Cristiano Ronaldo tells Zinedine Zidane he's 'treated like a criminal' in Spain as transfer speculation continues

Cristiano Ronaldo has told Zinedine Zidane he is 'treated like a criminal' in Spain as speculation surrounding his future continues.

Ronaldo is accused of tax fraud amounting to £13million and has apparently made an 'irreversible' decision to leave the Bernabeu this summer.

 Zidane called Ronaldo over the weekend to try and talk him into staying at Los Blancos with the Portuguese away on international duty at the Confederations Cup.

But according to Spanish radio station COPE, Ronaldo told his boss: “In Spain I am treated like a criminal. It starts with the media.”

The former Manchester United forward has reportedly made a plea to agent Jorge Mendes to broker a move back to the Theatre of Dreams with the Red Devils willing to do all they can to land their man.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is plotting a £175million deal which would also see David De Gea finally seal his move to the Spanish capital.

Ronaldo joined United in 2003 aged 18 and went on to score 118 goals in 292 appearances for the Red Devils in six years.

He left for Real in 2009, becoming their record goal scorer with 406 strikes in 394 outings to date.
Although he has interest from China, Ronaldo wants to remain in Europe and United could have massive competition from PSG who intend to use their own financial firepower to make a rival bid.
Ronaldo scored 55 goals for club and country last season, shooting Real to the Spanish title and a third Champions League in four seasons. - Mirror

Police say Indian teenage girl raped, thrown from moving train

Police said on Monday that a 16-year-old girl was gang-raped and apparently thrown from a moving train in the eastern state of Bihar.

Regional police chief Ashok Kumar said that the teenager was abducted near her home in Lakhisarai district by a group of six youth on Friday.

Kumar said she was sexually assaulted at an isolated spot before she was forced into a train at a local station and found hours later on the tracks, injured and unconscious.

The girl’s family said she had been thrown off the train, a claim that police said it was investigating.

“The girl is being treated for serious injuries. We have arrested one of the suspects, a boy, in the case. Results of medial tests to confirm sexual assault are awaited,” Kumar said.

Local media reports said the teen was in a critical condition and fighting for her life at a government hospital where she was being treated.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar promised strong action against the accused.

Sexual violence has been a focus of public attention in India since the fatal gang rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi in December 2012.
Activists say little has changed in attitudes towards sexual assault, and attacks on women continue unabated

61-Year-Old Islamic Cleric Beheads Woman Seeking Spiritual Counsel

An Islamic cleric, Taofeek Adams, on Monday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly severing the head of a worshiper.

The accused, 61, a resident of Masinowe Compound, Ikoga in Badagry, was charged with conspiracy and murder.

The court could not take his plea, as Magistrate A.S. Okubule said that she needed advice from the state director of public prosecutions.

Okubule therefore ordered the remand of the accused at the Ikoyi Prisons custody pending the advice.

The prosecutor, Insp. Chinalu Uwadione, had told the court that Adams (a.k.a. Kiekie) severed the head of one Oluwakemi Afolabi, 38, who worshiped in a mosque he presided over.

Uwadione said that the cleric committed the offences on March 19 at 4.00p.m. at Waterside, Ikoga-Zebbe in Badagry.

He said that the deceased had come to seek spiritual help from the cleric.

“The accused beheaded the deceased before chopping off her other parts for ritual purposes.

“He was apprehended when members of the community saw him carrying a sack soaked with blood,” Uwadione said.

He noted that the offences contravened sections 222 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The court adjourned the case until July 14 for mention. - NAN

EFCC Arraigns Four for N55m Contract Scam

The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, June 16, 2017 arraigned a former Deputy Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau, Dr.  Mamman A.  Argungu  alongside the Bursar Mohammed Lawal Darda'u and other staff: Usman Liman and Sanusi Mohammed   before Justice A.  A.  Aderemi of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and forgery.

One of the charges against them reads: That you, Usman Liman, Sanusi Mohammed, Dr. Mamman A.  Argungu and Mohammed  Lawal Darda'u   on or about November, 2012, at Ibadan within the Ibadan  Judicial Division  of this Honourable Court, did commit an illegal act,  to wit, Stealing of 346 Units (Three Hundred  and Forty Six)  of Qinqoi (QM125-4)  Motorcycles valued at N48,440,000 (Forty Eight Million, Four Hundred and forty Thousand Naira) part of 500 Units (Five Hundred) of Qinqoi (QM125-4)  motorcycles you obtained from Rola Enterprises Limited on the understanding that the motorcycles would be paid for after delivery and distribution to members of Non-academic Staff Union Multi-purpose Co-operative Society  of Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau”.

The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In view of their plea, prosecution counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the 3rd and 4th defendants in prison custody. However, counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants prayed the court to allow his clients enjoy the earlier bail granted by the court while they were arraigned on a related charge. Meanwhile, counsel to the 3rd and 4th defendants, B. T. Aza informed the court of a pending bail application.

Justice Aderemi granted the 3rd and 4th defendants bail in the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Naira each with two sureties in like sum. The sureties should be public officers in the Oyo State Civil Service not bellow level 10. One of the sureties should have landed property within the jurisdiction and they will be verified by the court. The sureties should depose to an affidavit of means. The defendants are to report to the EFCC Kano zonal office first Monday of every month.
Meanwhile the 1st and 2nd defendants will continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them by the court.

The case is adjourned to 17, 18, 23 and 24 of September, 2017 commencement of trial.

Media & Publicity
16th June, 2017

BREAKING: More trouble for Dino Melaye as 188, 580 electorates sign for his recall

A total of 188, 580, electorate from Kogi West have signed the recall register form of Senator Dino Melaye.

Announcing the figure at the All progressives Congress State Secretariat in Lokoja, the returning officer for the recall of the serving senator, Adamu Yusuf explained that out of 360,098 of the total registered voters of the seven western senatorial districts comprising Yagba, Mopa Muro, Kabba Bunu, Yagba East, Koton Karfe, Lokoja and Ijumu, 188, 588, signed the recall register constituting 52.3% of the voters in senatorial district.

Yusuf while giving a breakdown of the recall exercise noted that for Yagba East – out of 35,331 registered voters, 18, 374 (52%) signed the recall of the serving lawmaker.

Others are Mopa 18,356 voters (9,186 signed comprising 50.04%), Kabba Bunu 60,522, voters (28,277 signed making 46.7%, and Yagba West out of 35, 966 registered voters 20,029 signed signifying 55.7%.

Lokoja local government recorded the highest with 63, 736 (54.8%) voters recalling the senator out of 116, 296 registered voters.

For Koton Karfe 24,703 (52.77%) voters penned their signature while in Ijumu out of 46,819 registered voters, 24, 238 depicting 51.8% passed a vote of no confidence on the senator to represent them in the National Assembly.

” Going by the above figures, it is important to let Nigerians know that we have met the Constitutional requirements of 51.1%. Dino has failed to represent Kogi West so we are calling him back home,” Yusuf added.

Meanwhile, the seven Local government administrators constituting Kogi West were all present during the exercise. - Daily Post

Six resign from presidential HIV/AIDS council because Trump 'doesn't care'

Six members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS have angrily resigned, saying that President Trump doesn't care about HIV.

Scott Schoettes, Lucy Bradley-Springer, Gina Brown, Ulysses Burley III, Michelle Ogle and Grissel Granados publicly announced their resignations in a joint letter published in Newsweek titled, "Trump doesn't care about HIV. We're outta here."

The group said that the administration "has no strategy" to address HIV/AIDS, doesn't consult experts when working on policy and "pushes legislation that will harm people living with HIV and halt or reverse important gains made in the fight against this disease."

"As advocates for people living with HIV, we have dedicated our lives to combating this disease and no longer feel we can do so effectively within the confines of an advisory body to a president who simply does not care," they wrote.

The group noted that Trump took down the Office of National AIDS Policy website when he took office and hasn't appointed anyone to lead the White House Office of National AIDS Policy.

They also said that the GOP's ObamaCare repeal bill will dramatically hurt those with HIV/AIDS, making it the "final straw for us - more like a two-by-four than a straw" in deciding to leave the council.

"We will be more effective from the outside, advocating for change and protesting policies that will hurt the health of the communities we serve and the country as a whole if this administration continues down the current path," they wrote.

"We hope the members of Congress who have the power to affect healthcare reform will engage with us and other advocates in a way that the Trump Administration apparently will not."

Coroner: Cocaine among drugs found in Carrie Fisher's system

Carrie Fisher's autopsy report shows the actress had cocaine in her system when she fell ill on a plane last year, but investigators could not determine what impact the cocaine and other drugs found in her system had on her death.

The report released Monday states Fisher may have taken cocaine three days before the Dec. 23 flight on which she became ill. She died four days later.

It also found traces of heroin and MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy, but that they could not determine when Fisher had taken those drugs. The findings were based on toxicology screenings done on samples taken when the "Star Wars" actress arrived at a Los Angeles hospital.

Coroner's officials ruled Fisher died from sleep apnea and a combination of other factors.
Coroner’s officials ruled Fisher died from sleep apnea and a combination of other factors. A news release issued Friday mentioned drugs were found in Fisher’s system, but it did not provide details.

Monday’s full report contains a detailed explanation of the results, such as why investigators believe Fisher took cocaine at least three days before her flight.

“At this time the significance of cocaine cannot be established in this case,” the report states.
It also states that while heroin is detectable in the system for a briefer period of time, investigators could not determine when Fisher took it or the ecstasy.

“Ms. Fisher suffered what appeared to be a cardiac arrest on the airplane accompanied by vomiting and with a history of sleep apnea. Based on the available toxicological information, we cannot establish the significance of the multiple substances that were detected in Ms. Fisher’s blood and tissue, with regard to the cause of death,” the report states.

Among the factors that contributed to Fisher’s death was buildup of fatty tissue in the walls of her arteries, the coroner’s office said last week.
A phone message left for Fisher’s brother, Todd, was not immediately returned.

Todd Fisher said Friday he was not surprised that drugs may have contributed to his sister’s death.
“I would tell you, from my perspective that there’s certainly no news that Carrie did drugs,” Todd Fisher said. He noted that his sister wrote extensively about her drug use, and that many of the drugs she took were prescribed by doctors to try to treat her mental health conditions.

Fisher long battled drug addiction and mental illness. She said she smoked pot at 13, used LSD by 21 and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 24. She was treated with electroshock therapy and medication.

“I am not shocked that part of her health was affected by drugs,” Todd Fisher said.
He said his sister’s heart condition was probably worsened by her smoking habit, as well as the medications she took. “If you want to know what killed her, it’s all of it,” he said. - AP